Nasal shield.



"NITED STATES PATENT OFFIOE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 23, 1906.-

Application filed January 3, 1905. Serial No. 239,346.

To a/ZZ whom it may con/cern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS CARENCE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Salina, in the county of Saline and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Nasal Shields; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in nasal shields yof the class set forth in my previous patent, No. 758,030, dated April 19, 1904.

The object of my present invention is the same, generally speaking, as that set forth-in the said patent-namely, to produce a device adapted to cure what is ordinarily termed hay-fever. by inflammation of the lining membrane of the nose supposed to be caused by irritation resulting from particles of dust carried by the atmosphere and rising from decayed or other vegetable matter or substance. The function of my improved device is to protect the lining membrane of the nostrils from this dust through the instrumentality of gauze diaphragms vwith which the members inserted in the nostrils are provided, vwhereby the dust is strained out of the atmosphere before the air reaches the afflicted portions of the said membrane.

More specifically speaking, my improved device consists of two members connected by a bridge-piece adapted to straddle the separating cartilage of the nostrils, while the said members or disks are inserted far enough in the nostrils to maintain their position therein. Each of these members is composed of a short thimble whose inner extremity is covered by mesh material, as wire-gauze, the said thimble being surrounded by a pad composed of some soft material, as absorbent cotton. The outer extremity of each thimble is provided with a flange with which are connected small hooks or fastening devices which engage the pad and hold it in place, the hook-shaped fastening devices being of less length than the thickness of the pad, whereby as the members are inserted in the nose the pressure on the absorbent pad has a tendency to conceal the metal hooks, whereby This disease is characterizedl thy are prevented from irritating the nostri s.

Having briefly outlined my improved construction, I will proceed to describe the same in detail, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which is illustrated an embodiment thereof.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of my improved device viewed from the side opposite the bridge. Fig. 2 is a similar view looking in the direction opposite the view in Fig 1. Fig. 3 is a view taken at right angles to igs. 1 and 2. Fig. 4 is a sectional detail view of a single member of the shield, taken on the line 4 4, Fig. 2.

In all the views the features are shown on a scale very greatly enlarged in order to facilitate clearness of illustration. It must be borne in mind that the members illustrated and hereinafter described are of suitable size for insertion in the nostrils and that the bridge-piece is adapted to straddle the separating cartilage of the nostrils at its outer extremity.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the views.

Let the numeral 5 designate each of two small thimbles which are connected by a U- shaped bridge-piece 6. Each thimble is provided with a flange 7, surrounding its outer edge, and the inner extremities of the arms of the bridge-piece are connected with these flanges. Each flange, as shown in the drawings, is also provided with a number of small inwardly-projecting hooks 8, which grasp the absorbent pad 9, which surrounds the thimble and is of substantially the same depth as the latter. The outer extremity of the thimble is open, while its inner extremity is provided with a covering l0, of suitable mesh material, as fine wire-gauze. The absorbent pads are readily removable from the thimbles, whereby any desirednumber of pads may be used with the same device. These pads may be saturated with any desired medicine adapted to give relief in cases of hay-fever or kindred or analogous diseases, as asthma. It is evident that it will become necessary to remove the pads at intervals. The fastening hooks or devices 8 make it practicable to remove the pads and substitute new ones as often as desired.

The terms inner and outer as used in this specification have reference to the position of the device when applied or when the members are inserted in the nostrils. In

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' this eveht it will be understood that the mesh-covered extremities of the thimbles are innermost.

From the foregoing description the use of my improved device will be readily understood. After applying the pads to the said members the latter are inserted in the respective nostrils until the outer extremit of the bridge-piece engages the cartilage of t e nose. This bridge-piece has suflicient spring or elasticity to hold the members securely in place after the device is applied.

Attention is called to the fact that the thimbles 5 coperate with the fastening devices to hold the pad in place. The thimbles prevent lateral movement of the pads 9, While the fastening devices 8 prevent the pads from slipping 0E the thimbles.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. A. nasal shield composed of two thimbleshaped members having flanges extending substantially at right angles to the Walls of the thimbles, and absorbent pads surround- Bilder? ing the thimbles, oflthe same or approximately the same de th as the latter, the flanges being provide with fastening devices which en age the absorbent pads and hold them in pace on the thimbles, the latter being provided with mesh diaphragme forthe purpose set forth.

2. A nasal shield composed of two thimbleshaped members having flanges at their outer extremities extending substantially at right angles to the walls of the thimbles and provided with laterally projecting, inwardlyextendinT fastening devices, absorbent pads surroundlng the thimbles, of the same depth as the latter and held in place by the fastening devices, the inner extremities of the thimbles being provided with mesh diaphragms for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS CAREN CE..

Witnesses:

DENA NELSON, A. J. OBRIEN. 

